Calm Before the Storm
by Terrified of Logic
Summary: The idea of being loved by a demon is preposterous, the idea of loving a demon is even more unthinkable.


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_Calm Before the Storm_

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It was the kind of day that was filled with tension that was almost palpable. The sky was a thick, ash-yellow colour, the clouds swollen with condensation. Ciel took a deep breath, savouring the calm before the storm. He didn't like storms themselves necessarily, but it was the few precious moments before everything broke forth that stirred some sort of excitement in the pit of his stomach. The way everything was unnaturally quiet, the way nature seemed to be holding it's breath… it was the thrill of anticipating something big that captured Ciel like no other kind of weather.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, vibrating through Ciel's body, through his fingertips that rested on the window sill. He shivered and licked his lips unconsciously, the room grew even darker from the way the clouds seemed to press in on each other, fighting, jostling to see which one would break first, just like his thoughts that seemed to fight for his attention and acknowledgement.

"You will catch a cold if you keep the window open for long." Sebastian said from the doorway.

Ciel half turned before latching the window shut.

"I was just about to do it, what do you care anyway."

"Care? Of course I _care_." The demon entered the study, the sound of his footsteps muffled by the thunder that boomed and echoed across the English countryside.

Ciel wasn't afraid exactly, but the way the dim light seemed to be cast across that handsome face in sharp shadows seemed to highlight the otherworldly features that the demon possessed. His wicked mouth curling up into a smirk as he regarded the boy. It was instinctual, the way Ciel took a step back, to make room between the ominous presence and himself. He found himself trapped against the wall next to the window.

"You think I don't care about you, Young Master?" Sebastian repeated softly, almost incredulously, a gloved finger stroking down the boy's soft cheek. "Why, I care about you very much. I would hate to see anything happen to your… _tempting_ body."

The boy's head jerked up as he stared into those red eyes that glowed in the muted ambience of the room, his stomach knotting painfully at the words.

"My _body?_" Ciel scoffed, knocking the hand away from his face. "Don't mince words _dog_, you mean my _soul, _don't you?"

"Is this resentment I hear, my Lord? Do you wish to go back on the Contract?" Sebastian smiled widely, anticipating the boy's response, knowing that such a comment would rile the boy. If there was one thing similar about them, it was that they both had a tendency to see things through to the very end. Ciel Phantomhive would never go back on his word and Sebastian would always deliver, that was how they worked.

"No!" Ciel snapped, attempting to push the larger body away from his. Sebastian's finger came back only to tilt the defiant chin up, so that the boy had no other choice but to gaze heatedly into that devilishly gorgeous face.

"Oh?" The demon breathed out, the single syllable wafting between them like the sweet scent of toxic berries. "Then, pray, tell me why do you have such a petulant look on your face?"

Ciel struggled to escape, only have his hands pinned above his head and a knee thrusted between his legs. He would have blushed had he not been so familiar with such a position, familiar with the roughness that sparked unwanted heat within his core…

Lips brushed against his neck and Ciel just bit his lip, struggling in the demon's grip. The clouds cracked and the sound of rain sluicing against glass could suddenly be heard quite clearly. The harsh patter of water against shrubbery, stone and grass melded into a loud static that seemed to fill Ciel's ears, blocking out his thoughts. His arms slackened while his neck drooped to the side dejectedly, allowing the demon to mark his flesh up.

"_Hah,_ stop that." He protested, hating how weak his voice sounded… and knowing that deep down he didn't mean it at all. Ciel slid down the wall slightly, his groin coming into contact with the knee that was pressing up into him with delicious, irresistible friction.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and continued kissing the boy's neck anyway. He could feel the beat of the boy's pulse in contrast to his own that had never beat out a single pulse in his entirety. Underneath the warm skin, he could feel and hear the rush of hot blood that emphasised the vivacity that he held in his hands.

_Do you know why demons devour souls? They don't need to, you know. In order to survive, I mean. In an ironic way, their gluttony can almost be considered human. After all, we always lust after something we can't have, am I right? _

"You are truly magnificent, my Lord." The words were lost, buried as an insistent hand came up to unbutton Ciel's trim waistcoat and to pull out his neatly tucked shirt.

At these words, some of the fog in Ciel's mind seemed to clear and he struggled violently against the demon once more.

"Don't say that… Don't say something you don't mean..._ah." _He shook his hand loose from Sebastian's grip and ripped off his eyepatch, struggling to maintain control over himself and the situation.

His eyes were two round orbs of blazing colour, his expression devoid of all clouded pleasure he was feeling earlier. His mouth was twisted, his cheeks flushed with anger, humiliation and… bitterness?

Sebastian slowly let go of the boy's hands and they fell to his sides uselessly as his little master stared up at him, hair and clothing rumpled from his previous actions. He studied the boy, those amethysts and sapphires flashing back at him.

"Why are you so angry, my Lord?"

"You are lying to me, I am hardly 'magnificent' or 'entrancing' or any other grovelling adjective you wish to describe me as. I will not stand for lies, especially from _you, _my supposed loyal servant." The words were spat from the Phantomhive's mouth, as if he were loathe to say them.

"What makes you think I am lying? I cannot tell lies- you have forbidden it. A lie will rise to my despicable mouth only to be quashed down by the weight of your orders. I cannot tell lies, this you know very well." Sebastian bowed once, "So I will ask again, why are you so angry, _my Lord?"_

Ciel kicked the wall with the heel of his boot moodily, choosing not to answer the question straight away, his arms coming to cross over his chest tightly.

"Do you… do you say that to all the humans you've Contracted?" He muttered, eyes suddenly fascinated on the patch of carpet that was going a little threadbare.

Now, Sebastian straightened up, eyebrows raised very high as he regarded the petulant boy in front of him. He raised a hand to his mouth and let out a small laugh. Oh my, the newest revelation in the boy's behaviour was quite an amusing thing indeed.

"Are you… _jealous, _Young Master?" He asked, eyes glittering and glowing red.

"What-" Ciel jerked up, mouth opening in horror. "I am _not- _jealous!" He sputtered the words out angrily, becoming incoherent with indignation. Ciel felt his cheeks heat up and his throat tighten inexplicably at the demon's comment. Was he _jealous? _Jealous of people who had long died and succumbed to the pressure of their deepest, innermost desires? Ridiculous, he wasn't _jealous. _Jealousy was hardly the word to describe his emotions towards the demon… right?

Sebastian bent down and placed a kiss on the boy's cheek. And another.. and another till he was kissing that pink mouth that was so used to spitting out vitriolic comments. How sweet they tasted in comparison.

"Did you wish for me to say that you are special? That you are the only one for me, that I'd be willing _die _for you in comparison to all my other Contractors?" The demon breathed out onto the boy's lips. "Do not forget your place, boy. Do not confuse my utmost care and lust with a trivial emotion like love or attachment. Demons do not feel such weaknesses."

"I'm, _hah, _not- confusing anything- _hn!_" Ciel cried out as Sebastian delivered a rough bite to his neck, harsher than usual. He squeezed his eyes shut, clinging on to the demon's jacket lapels. Ciel was well aware that demons did not feel emotion, nor did they care to feel sentimental over their valuable effects. It would be like the boy himself, falling in love with his Sunday roast. But still, still knowing all of this, Ciel couldn't help but feel small as Sebastian clearly implied he was worth nothing but his soul.

"_Ahh… _Stop that, you insatiable demon- _mm."_ Ciel didn't stop the tongue the licked at his bottom lip, that swept into his mouth and teased the tip of his own tongue with little flicks.

"Did you want me to cradle you, like a lover, gently, coating your tongue and senses with sweet words of affection and endearment? Did you want me to take you, with the utmost care, to make lo-"

Ciel's face went bloodred and he was breathing hard when he finally managed to shove the demon away from him.

"_Enough!"_ Ciel exclaimed, beating the demon's chest with his hands, shaking his head fervently. His whole body trembling from anger and a subtle ache. "_Stop. _That isn't true and you know it. I don't need…" He stopped. "I don't want such… petty things."

There was a quiet pause then,

"My apologies. It would seem that you're not in the mood for it, today. Forgive me for my assumptions." Sebastian cleared his throat, stepping back. The atmosphere of heated intimacy disappeared leaving only coldness behind. He fixed his jacket and straightened his gloves, bowing curtly before turning to leave.

The rain had steadied to a trickle, the grey skies lightening somewhat, however the darkness in the little Phantomhive's heart grew even blacker as he watched his butler walk out of the room. His throat ached to utter words that he didn't know how to say. Ciel's inner confusion warred with him.

_Don't go._

He wasn't good at expressing emotion and this confrontation with Sebastian made him want to scratch up walls. He genuinely didn't know what to say or how to say it, but he instinctually felt like something might break if Sebastian walked right out the door. Fragile. That's what he felt, like he was made of brittle eggshell, like he was walking on thin champagne flutes.

Sebastian paused by the door and turned, meeting his eye. With pursed lips, he gave a perfunctory bow and vanished from Ciel's line of vision.

A wave of emotion rose like a dark beast within the boy, and not even caring that Sebastian could hear, Ciel let out a strangled cry and hit the desk with his fist, scattering papers and knocking over ink bottles. He didn't cry though, it was almost like he'd forgotten how to. Ciel only let out harsh, ragged breaths, cursing the demon with every foul insult he knew until he was out of breath.

He lay his cheek on the smooth surface of the mahogany, the cool touch soothing his heated skin.

_How, how did I end up feeling this way? How much further can I fall, till I hate the world and everything in it? Until my vision goes black and all that remains is a crumbled chess piece? That's right… I'm merely a chess piece… to be moved and played with… eventually discarded. But as the 'King' I swear it, I'll be the last piece to leave the board._

_fin._

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_I struggled to write this piece. I had a clear idea of what I wanted the outcome to be but I couldn't manage to get it down on to paper accurately, which is why I'm posting this here instead of on Ao3. _


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